What do coroners do?

Answer 1

Coroners (literally 'protectors of the crown') used to have a wide range of public responsibilities on behalf of the King. Now, the coroner is (almost) solely involved in one thing: establishing cause of death.

In the UK, the coroner can currently be either a doctor or lawyer with at least five years senior experience. This will shortly be changed, and only lawyers will be entitled to apply. This is because the role is very much a legal, rather than a medical, position. The local authority (rather than the Home Office) appoints these individuals.

Deaths MUST be referred to the Coroner in the following circumstances:

Where the cause of death is unknown

Where the individual died without being seen by a doctor within 14 days prior to death

Where the cause of death was deemed unnatural (murder, suicide, industrial accident, car crash etc)

Where the final illness was not attended by a doctor

And in certain special circumstances (the person died in police custody or was collecting a war pension)

In these circumstances, the Coroner's Officer will be informed of the death (95% of the time by a doctor), and will decide whether a post-mortem examination (autopsy) is required. If this is deemed necessary, the Coroner will instruct a Forensic Pathologist to carry out the autopsy in order to:

Identify the individual (by tissue sample or dental records)

Ascertain where, when and how they died

Document findings and produce a report

The Coroner will then hold an inquest which will provide these details to the public.

Coroners are also responsible for deciding the beneficiaries of buried treasure!